Syria Health System Recovery and Strengthening Project

pipeline

After over a decade of conflict, Syria’s health system is severely fragmented, underfunded, and heavily reliant on humanitarian aid. More than half of health facilities are partially or non-functional; the health workforce has dramatically shrunk due to displacement and migration. The health systems for disease preparedness, prevention, and response are ill-prepared for tackling epidemic-prone diseases, as shown by the 2023 cholera outbreak and ongoing cross-border disease risks. Populations face catastrophic out-of-pocket expenditures and limited access to basic primary health care (PHC) services. Syria has also suffered from heatwaves and droughts, significantly affecting food production and prices. There are risks related to the escalation of internal and regional conflict amidst a new fragile institution emerging from civil war. The project comprises of 3 components: Component 1 focuses on restoring and strengthening primary health care (PHC) services across Syria, with an emphasis on maternal, neonatal, and child health (MNCH), noncommunicable diseases, and emergency referrals. It includes rehabilitating and upgrading PHC facilities, providing essential medicines and equipment, and improving supply chains and referral systems. Capacity-building efforts will train health workers on updated clinical protocols, infection prevention and control (IPC), and logistics management. Investments will cover 100PHCs, ensuring service readiness and equitable access to essential health services. Out of these 20 PHC will be upgraded to support Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care.Component 2 aims to enhance Syria’s public health emergency preparedness and response capacity. It will upgrade laboratory systems for disease diagnostics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) monitoring, strengthen integrated disease surveillance and early warning systems, and ensure compliance with International Health Regulations (IHR). The component also includes workforce development through field epidemiology training and the establishment of rapid response teams. These measures will improve outbreak detection, reporting, and response, building resilience against epidemics and health shocks. This component also focuses on institutional capacity building to improve governance, planning, and operational efficiency within the health system. It will strengthen nursing education and workforce management through upgraded training infrastructure, digital learning platforms, and competency-based curricula. Additionally, it will integrate health information, human resources, and supply chain systems into a unified digital platform to enhance data management and resource allocation. Nurse workforce development and training center rehabilitation will also be financed. Component 3 will support project management, monitoring and evaluation, fiduciary oversight, and stakeholder engagement to ensure effective implementation and compliance with safeguards.